I don't know...I guess I just need some reassurance. I have worked in an elementary school for the past 9 years. Every year, as my gift to the staff of 55, I bring in a huge cookie tray......at least 40 dozen cookies. Every year, I have heard that someone filled up a bag and took cookies home for their Christmas trays, which I always thought was rude, but I tried to take it as a compliment. Last year it was CRAZY! Someone was seen filling up 3, 9 x 13 inch pans full of cookies. I was totally shocked. I spend a lot of money and many hours creating this tray. It's my gift! The entire tray was gone by lunch.
Anyway, this year I am not taking a tray. I've baked about 120 dozen cookies, for gifts and for the DH to take his tray for his co-workers, but I wasn't taking cookies to school. But, now I feel bad because I feel like I'm punishing a whole lot of people who didn't abuse my gift. I am taking a 2 layer, filled and decorated 1/2 sheet cake for our Christmas lunch. This whole thing has just left a bad taste in my mouth and now I'm feeling guilty. 
Should I have just let it go and taken the usual tray?
You know what you could do? Bring in the tray and bring in small cellophane baggies with twist-ties so that everyone can take some, but it's demonstrated that only a small amount should be taken.
People are people......some will always be rude....try not to take it personally.
I taught before retiring and we always loved the treats people brought in. No matter how many professed to be on a diet, the sweets always disappeared.
Your gift of cookies was a terrific gift but I don't blame you one bit for not taking them in this year. I would do the same thing if I were in your shoes. The only other thing would be to confront the cookie hog and remind her/him that the gift was for the whole staff to be eaten at school.
The cake is a nice gift instead of the cookies. It lets the staff know you are still thinking of them and hopefully will stop the cookie hog.
[quote="Derby"]You know what you could do? Bring in the tray and bring in small cellophane baggies with twist-ties so that everyone can take some, ..quote]
This is a good idea, My gift to the family Christmas dinner was to bring in everyone's baked goodie and enough to share and then some.
I would bring enough trays to lay out a buffet table after dinner.
But I also brought in boxes for everyone to take the left overs home.
Don't feel guilty, yu are bringing in a cake for them, and besides your gift of cookie trays was a gift from the heart and it wasn't mandatory!
A cake is just as meaningful! 
I really appreciate all your comments and support. We sure love treats at my school! I love to bake and bring things in for my friends and I do it fairly often. After Christmas last year I really struggled over confronting the person who was such a hog. But, since I hadn't seen it myself (although I had no reason not to believe the 3 shocked people who came and asked me if I had said it was okay to fill up all those pans they saw the person taking) I didn't do it. I even thought about putting a note in everyone's mailboxes. Ultimately, I decided not to say anything to that person. There are many people in the building who know what happened and were shocked too.
I did think of making individual bags, and I might do that next year, but this year all I could think of what how much extra work that would be! My heart just wasn't in it.
It's sad that some people are like that, next year if you decide to make the cookie tray I suggest you get a stuffed grinch to sit in the middle of the tray and have him holdidng a sign saying "Don't be a cookie grinch,save some for the others" Maybe then it will get the message to the cookie hogs. That's so rude that someone would do that.They should all be thankful for someone like you.Don't feel like a grinch,your still bringing a cake.
hang in there Jodie. I have had this happen to me as well. I actually saw the person walk out with a whole tray of baked goods though. Needless tosay I did confront them and the next year I did do the bags for everyone. To believe that person had the guts to come up to me and ask where the tray of goodies was this year. I kindly told them that I wanted to be sure everyone had theur fair share this year and so i did the bags. They knew what i was talking about without being rude. I just hope that this doesnt ruin your holiday spirit. Happy Holidays!!!!
That's pretty rude alright.
I think the cake is a good idea. On the other hand, if you stil wanted to bring in cookies, you could have made a much smaller amount than what you usually bring in....if all the staff bring a little something, this would work.
If anyone asks where the cookies are, make sure you have an excellent answer for them.
It's your gift to them, so bring in what you want. You sound like too nice of a person to be making that many cookies.....just to have them "stolen".
Good Luck!!!
I can't even imagine that someone would do that! I would just make small bags like SharonZ said but I would put labels on them with everyones name and either pass them out or stick them in their mailboxes.
And if I were feeling really resentful I would put a noticably less amount in one bag and make sure to give it to the person that took three pan fulls 
Maybe that person will get the hint not to take your kindness for granted
if you sell your baked goods you can also...print up a few brochures and make sure the "cookie grinch" gets one...lol
Telling them, ( discreetly of course ) if you need a couple of dozen cookies for your holiday party, fell free to order some from me. with a great big smile.
that's nice and professional and will get the point across.
Don't be resentful about what this person did, as you don't know this persons circumstances and...you got the information second hand and you don't know the person that ratted motives.
RisqueBusiness wrote:
Telling them, ( discreetly of course ) if you need a couple of dozen cookies for your holiday party, fell free to order some from me. with a great big smile.
Gosh, nice to see a person after my own heart!!!!!!!!!!
Idea for next year, I personally just gave each person 4 cake bonbons in a gift box.....see gallery. Small and simple, but from the heart.
Finally, why do you feel guilty for something you did out of the kindness of your heart and stopped because you were abused? The issue is really because of the rudeness of one stingy, scrooge like coworker..........that person is at fault here - not you!
It's sad that some people are like that, next year if you decide to make the cookie tray I suggest you get a stuffed grinch to sit in the middle of the tray and have him holdidng a sign saying "Don't be a cookie grinch,save some for the others" Maybe then it will get the message to the cookie hogs. That's so rude that someone would do that.They should all be thankful for someone like you.Don't feel like a grinch,your still bringing a cake.
I love this idea! I've worked in areas where 1/2 eaten burritos were swiped off the table LOL. I think the stuffed grinch is a cute non offensive way to share. I also think that your switch from cookies to cake was a great way to control the goodies. I'm sure that everyone was grateful and delighted in the cake you brought.
Tip top,
you have to take every opportunity to promote your business..and you can't hold things like this in...they start to bring in the negative energy into your passion.
and food should ALWAYS have good positive energy.
lol
Yeah, but I could see the same person who loaded up all of the trays being like "Wow! And this year I can take a whole bunch of individually wrapped cookies and my guests will be even more surprised." What that person did was just rude and I can't blame you one bit for not wanting to be taken advantage of again.
The cake is adorable. You have nothing to feel bad about! I'm sure they will all enjoy it (just not all their friends and extended families 
)
I would have talked to the person who did it. JMO.
lol Watch..that person will "steal" the edible cake toppers..lol
Do you think it's possible to save the toppers? I have 2 parties to go to and I've promised desserts. I would love to reuse them!
I don't have a business. I sold cookies for years when I was a stay at home mom to have money for Christmas gifts. There's just no time for that now. I can't make 400 dozen cookies anymore and stay sane. The 150 dozen or so I make is all I can manage. I used to sell cheesecakes to restaurants. Now I'll make them when I'm asked.
I would stick close by that cake at that party and make sure you save the toppers. They can be reused 
Just bring in something to sit them in so they don't get eaten, taken, or ruined... And I agree maybe next year ask hubby and the kids to sit down to the table and (wear gloves of course) and package up the cookies into baggies for them. Also the cake is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I personally would write a letter to the person who stole all the cookies last year but only if they bitch about no cookies this year lol... Or I'd say something smartassed like "Well last year someone stole all the cookies for their home parties instead of leaving them for others to enjoy so I decided to stop the urge of stealing" and walk away You can still be nice about it and get the point across
ooohhh, be careful, a cookie hog can sometimes turn into a cake hog, kinda like animals that adapt to their surroundings, cookies then a cookie hog, cake then a cake hog, i would make sure that person doesn't walk out with the cake!!!!!....and just to feel a tinny bit better, and no i am not a mean person but sometimes u need a little something to take ur edge off, i would give them a smaller piece of cake!! that will show them!
And if they ask "where are the cookies this year" i would respond with, "well it turns out someone was taking all the cookies home and no one got any, can you believe that! Anyways, so to be fair i brought in cake so everyone can have something sweet that was made with love." then smile
...let them know your on to what happened but dont let out you know Who did it.
The cake was delicious and well received. Then I very carefully removed the toppers,wrapped them in paper towels and put them in a padded storage box. Whew! I took them back to my classroom.
I promptly knocked the storage box off my desk and sent it crashing to the floor. Icing trees and fondant snowmen went flying! Smash, bang, boom!
One of my students looked at me and asked "Did you wanna do that?"
Oh well, no use crying over smashed sugar! 
Awwww too bad Smart assed little kids though make ya laugh lol. Sounds like something my 7 1/2 year old would say lol. At least the cake was delicious and well received 
Did the cookie theif come around? lol Did they say anything? Gossip!!!! lol What grade do you teach?
Okay...let's see. I teach computers in an elementary school, grades Pre-K to 4th (can we all say "STOP CLICKING SO MUCH!!!!!"). I do the school webpage and repair the computers. 
Consider me your resident computer geek.
I was helping set up the staff luncheon, and the cookie thief was in there too. Anyway, another teacher said (unknowingly) to everyone else "Can you believe someone took all those cookies home last year....Jodie's GIFT to all of us?". I could have flippin' KISSED her. She had no idea the thief was 3 feet away. So, the cookie thief hightailed it out of there and didn't have lunch! I hate to say it, but I was secretly a wee bit pleased.
The cake was yummy and the remainder is in the Lounge. I'm sure some will get taken home, but whatever. A slice of leftover cake is different from making your cookie tray out of MY stolen cookies!
Oh...speaking of computer stuff....if your kids are making you crazy I have a Christmas fun page linked to my school webpage.
http://www.kahoks.org/kreitner
Scroll down and click on Holiday fun (Santa coming down the chimney).
Maybe they'll leave you alone to bake! 
JodieF,
I'm betting that other person really did know the cookie thief was in the room!!!!!!!!! Cuz that is something I would have done especially if I was missing your cookies!!!!!!!! And I would make sure I'd do it in front of you also - Ha take that you thief. "Hands behind your head, go directly to jail and do not pass GO and do not collect $200 Dollars......"
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